Drive for a twisting head



July 24, 1956 F. HADWICH 2,755,615

DRIVE FOR A TWISTING HEAD Filed Feb. 25, 1952 INVENTOR. Fritz Haaw/ch BYhis af/omeys ww m.

DRIVE FOR A TWISTING HEAD Fritz Hadwich, Bremen-Farge, Germany, assiguorto Schiess Aktiengesellschaft, Dusseldorf, Germany, a German companyApplication February 25, 1952, Serial No. 273,323

Claims priority, application Germany March 3, 1951 13 Claims. (Cl.57-92) As is known, the purpose of twisting heads is to impart to theroving the twist which is necessary for a good drafting. The twist beingimparted by passing the roving between two rollers which, in addition tobeing rotated, revolve as a unit. At the same time, the roving isdrafted by the rollers acting in conjunction with a second pair of feedrollers.

The required double drive of the individual twisting heads of a machinemay be effected by means of a rope or belt drive from one or two drivingdrums or by means of a worm drive from one or two longitudinallydisposed shafts on which the driving pinions are mounted.

The speed of the roller housing, with which the pair of rollers of thetwisting head revolves as a unit, determines the number of turns whichwill be put into the roving per unit of length for any given deliveryspeed. The delivery speed itself is not only dependent on the drivingarrangement provided for the rotation of the rollers, but also on thedifferential in speeds of the two driving arrangements, taking intoaccount the existing transmission ratios. The rotation of the rollers isalso influenced by the revolving roller housing, which results solelyfrom the fact that the rollers themselves rotate when their own drive isinoperative because their gear wheels roll on the stationary drivingwheel when the rollers are revolved as a unit with their housing.

In order to operate twisting heads in a practical manner, it isimportant that it be possible to regulate the delivery speed and thedegree of twist independently of one another. The hitherto known drivingarrangements for twisting heads do not satisfy this requirement. in oneknowncase, the arrangement provides for a fixed degree of twist andconsequently only a simple driving arrangement is provided. This is "ofno practical value in the spinning art, since different materials attimes require to be given different twists. It is also known to vary thetwist imparted to the roving by the use of interchangeabie wheels in thedriving arrangement. In that case, however, it is necessary to dismantlethe twisting heads when it is required to substitute one part foranother. That is extremely inconvenient.

Finally, it has also been proposed to regulate each driving arrangementseparately from the motor shaft. However, as already explained, thisregulating arrangement does not lead to the desired effect, since thechange in the speed of the roller housing, that is to say, thealteration of twist, also automatically involves a corresponding changein the delivery speed, so that both factors are varied in the sameproportion. Moreover, in the case in question, to vary the twist to beimparted to the roving per unit length, it is necessary with such aconstruction of the driving-arrangement also to regulate the drive ofthe rollers correspondingly so that, for example, the delivery speedremains constant. The two drive adjustments would therefore have to beadapted to one another manually in some way. In addition, the adjustmentshould take place synchronously, otherwise jamsor'defective drafting ofthe roving can readilyoccur.

nited States Patent 2,755,615 Patented July 24, 1956 Consequently, suchan adjustment would have necessarily to be made with great care and istherefore not practical.

Starting from these conditions, the invention solves the problem, on theone hand, of varying the number of turns imparted to the roving whilethe twisting heads are rotating or while they are stationary andwithout, in so doing, altering a predetermined set delivery speed and,on the other hand, of varying the delivery speed without, in so doing,altering a predetermined set number of turns to be imparted to theroving per unit length. According to the invention, the drive of therollers and of the roller housing of the twisting head is effected froma common driving means, for example, an electric motor, each by means ofa regulating gear and also through a common differential gear. Thisdifferential gear operates in such manner that the joint effect on theother drive produced by the regulation of one of the two drives withinthe spinning head is compensated for by its differential action. By thismeans, the result is achieved that when altering one quantity, that isto say, either the twist of the roving or the delivery speed, the otherquantity is kept at the set value. The two quantities are thereforeregulated independently of one another.

The invention is illustrated, by way of example, in the accompanyingdrawing, wherein:

Figure l is a diagrammatic view of a driving arrangement with a bevelgear differential;

Figure 2 is a similar diagrammatic view of a driving arrangement with aspur gear differential.

Figure 3 is a vertical section through a twisting head of the sort whichmay be driven by the novel drive which comprises the present invention,the driving gears being diagrammatically shown and moved around so as tobe visible.

In Figure 1, all details are omitted in order better to illustrate theprinciple of the invention.

The roller housing 9 of the twisting head is made in two parts. Theupper part carries a helical gear 50 having-a toothed annulus whichmeshes with pinions (not shown) on the opposite ends of the rollers 18.Gear 50 is driven by a gear 52 from theshaft l7 (hereinafter more fullydescribed). The lower part of the roller housing is formed with lateralteeth 54 which mesh with helical gear 56 on the lower driving shaft 5(hereinafter more fully described). The driving head per se is morefully disclosed and claimed as a separate invention in my copendingprior application Serial No. 267,750, filed January 23, 1952.

The shaft 2 is 'driven at a constant speed by the motor 1. By means of abelt drive 3 or the like, the drive transmitted through a regulatinggear 4 to the main shaft 5 of a differential gear 6. This main shaft 5extends through the differential and forms the lower driving shaft ofthe twisting head, which rotates the roller housing 9 through a wormwheel drive.

A second belt drive 10 is driven from the shaft 2 through a regulatinggear 11. This second drive it) drives the rotatably mounted planetcarrier 12 of the differential gear. A .planet wheel 13 meshes with thetwo sun wheels 14 and 15, of which the input sun wheel 14 is fast on themain shaft 5 of the differential gear, while the output sun wheel 15 isrotatably mountedon the main shaft '5. The upper driving shaft 17 of thetwisting head is driven from the output sun wheel 15 through the geartrain 16 anddrivesthe'rollers *18 of the twisting head through wormgearing.

The operation is as follows:

It will 'be assumed'that'the motor 1 is "running at a constantspeecland'the regulating 'gear'4 'is set in'a'ccordance with the twist to bei'rnparted to'the roving. The 'rn'ainshaft S 'of the differential gearis thu's rotated at a speed dependent upon that of the motor 1 and ofthe setting of the gear 4 and the roller housing 9 revolves at acorresponding speed. If the regulating gear 11 is set to the zero value,which corresponds to a zero supply speed, the planet carrier 12 will notbe rotated. On the other hand, however, the input sun wheel 14 isrotated with the main shaft 5 and it drives the output sun wheel throughthe planet 13 at the same speed and this speed is transmitted throughthe gear train 16 to the upper driving shaft 17. The two driving shafts5 and 17 are therefore rotated at the same speed. The rollers thenrevolve as a unit with the housing 9 and a twist is imparted to theroving. However, the rollers 18 are not themselves rotating, since thedriving shaft 17 is driving the rollers in the opposite direction at thesame speed as these are rotated by the rolling movement of the drivingteeth with in the spinning head because of the rotation of the rollerhousing 9. The two rotational influences are cancelled out and therollers are at rest; they revolve only as a unit. The twist is thereforeset by the gear 4 but the delivery speed is zero due to the setting ofthe gear 11 at zero. This zero supply speed is maintained irrespectiveof the value up to which the roving twist is adjusted by the gear 4.

If the gear 11 is now set for a certain speed, the planet carrier 12will be rotated and the planet 13 will roll on the two sun wheels 14 and15 and this additional rotation will be superimposed on the drive of thesun wheel 14 by the main shaft 5. The driving shaft 17 will now rotateat a speed different from that of the driving shaft 5 and the differenceof these speeds leads to rotation of the rollers 18 themselves, that isto say, a particular delivery speed is determined. This supply speed cantherefore be regulated by means of the gear 11 independently of thetwist set by the gearing 4. The delivery speed set by the gearing 11remains unchanged should the amount of twist to be imparted be changedby an appropriate setting of the gear 4, for this causes an alterationin the speed of the main shaft 5 of the differential gear and thus auniform and simultaneous alteration in speed of both driving shafts 5and 17, whereby the reaction exerted by the rotation of the rollerhousing 9 on the rotation of the rollers (by the rolling of the drivinggears for the rollers) is compensated for.

With the engagement of the differential gear, the result is obtainedthat the twist of the roving and the delivery speed can each beindependently adjusted.

Since the drive of the lower driving shaft 5 by the main shaft 5 of thedifferential gear 6 passes directly through the latter, the belt drive 3and the regulating gear 4 could drive the driving shaft 5 directly, inwhich case, the drive 3, 4 in the drawing would be arranged to the leftof the differential gear, the differential gear being located betweenthe two drives 3, 4 and 10, 11.

In this connection, the differential gear could also be arranged only inthe drive for the upper driving shaft 17 in which case the rotation ofthe lower driving shaft 5 would have to be fed to the differential gear,that is to say, to the sun wheel 14. The principle of the invention istherefore characterised in this connection, by the fact that therotation of the lower driving shaft 5 reacts on a differential connectedin the drive of the upper driving shaft in order to nullify therotational influence to which the rollers 18 are subjected by therotation of the roller housing 9.

In the arrangement illustrated diagrammatically in Figure 2, a spur geardifferential is employed. The shaft 20 and the spinning drum 21 aredriven by the motor 19. Connected to the shaft 20 are two gears 22, 23equivalent to regulating gears 4 and 11 respectively of which the gear22 serves for regulating the roving twist and the gear 23 serves forregulating the delivery speed. The gear 22 operates through two freewheel devices, 24, 25 having a right and left hand drive, which areprovided for right-hand and left-hand twist of the roving, on the mainshaft 26 of differential gear designated, generally, by numeral 27. Thismain shaft 26 is again extended to form the lower driving shaft of thetwisting heads 29.

The gear 23 operates initially on a connecting shaft 30, by which theupper fluted cylinder 32 is driven through a further change gear 31 oran infinitely variable regulating gear or the like. The connecting shaft30 leads into the differential gear 27 and carries a toothed wheel 33which meshes with a toothed wheel 35 mounted on the planet carrier 34.The planet carrier 34 is rotatably mounted on a housing part 36 and theplanets 37 mesh with the input sun wheel 38 which is mounted fast on themain shaft 26. On the other hand, the planets 37 are in mesh with anouter rotatable toothed annulus 39 which in turn meshes with a toothedwheel 40 which is fast on the shaft 41 leading out of the differentialgear. This shaft is the upper driving shaft of the twisting heads or acontinuation thereof.

The operation is similar to that already described with reference toFigure 1. The lower driving shaft of the twisting heads 29 is drivenfrom the shaft 20 through one of the free wheel devices 24, 25 andthrough the main shaft 26 of the differential gear 27, so that theroving twist is capable of being regulated by means of the gear 22. Theconnecting shaft 30 is driven by the gear 23 and the planet carrier 34is driven by the toothed wheel 33. If the speed of the planet carrier 34is adjusted by means of the gear 23 to equal zero, which corresponds toa set delivery speed of zero, the planets 37 are merely driven by thewheel 38 on the main shaft 26 at the same speed as the latter, and ofthe lower driving shaft, respectively. By means of the wheels 37, theannulus 39 is rotated, and the wheel 40 and thus also the driving shaft41 are given the same speed as the driving shaft 26. The rollers of thetwisting head are therefore again driven at the same speed by thedriving shaft 41 in the opposite direction to that in which they arerotated by the rotation of the roller housing by rolling within theirdriving teeth, that is to say, they remain at rest. If a certain speedis set by the gear 23, the planet carrier 34 is rotated by the shaft 30and the planets 37 impart a supplementary rotation to the annulus 39,which rotation is imparted by the wheel 40 to the shaft 41. Thedifferential speed between the shafts 26 and 41 now produces a certaindelivery speed.

In the practical operation of the arrangement, the gears 22, 23 are setso as to obtain the desired delivery speed and the desired twist perunit length of roving. If the delivery speed is to be varied, the speedof the motor 19 is increased or reduced, the number of twists per metreof roving remaining constant. However, if this quantity is to bechanged, the gear 22 is regulated accordingly.

Right-hand and left-hand twisting is effected by for: ward and reverserunning of the motor 19, a different one of the free-wheel devices 24,25 being operated in each case. In order that the connecting shaft 30and the shafts 32 and 41 driven by it maintain the same direction ofrotation upon reversal of the motor, a reversing gear 42 is connectedbetween the shaft 20 and the shaft 30.

I claim:

l. A drive for a twisting head of the kind having a pair of rollersmounted for rotation about their axes and also as a unit together with ahousing about a common axis comprising a driving shaft, a driven shaftfor rotating said housing, a driving connection between said driving anddriven shafts including a variable regulating gear, a second drivenshaft for rotating said rollers, and a driving connection between saiddriving shaft and said second driven shaft including a differential gearand a variable regulating gear on the driving shaft side of saiddifferential gear, said differential gear being connected to the firstdriven shaft.

2. A drive according to claim 1 in which said differential gear has aninput shaft which is integral with said driven shaft for said housing.

3. A drive according to claim 2 in which said differential gear has aninput sun wheel fixed to said input shaft and an output sun wheeloperatively connected to said driven shaft for said rollers and mountedfor rotation about the axis of said driven shaft for said housing.

4. A drive according to claim 1 in which said differential gear has aplanet carrier operatively connected to said driving shaft through saidlast-mentioned regulating gear.

5. A drive according to claim 1 in which said differential gear isformed of spur gears including, as an output member, an internallytoothed gear and in which said driven shaft for said rollers isoperatively connected to said internally toothed gear by a pinionmeshing with it.

6. A drive according to claim 5 comprising also a fluted cylinderoperatively connected to the driving connection between said drivingshaft and said differential gear, and means driving said cylinder fromsaid driving shaft in relation fixed with respect to the delivery speedof the roving but independent of variation of the twist.

7. A drive according to claim 6 in which said fluted cylinder isconnected to said driving connection through a variable regulating gear.

8. A drive according to claim 1 in which said driving shaft is connectedto said differential gear through two one-way driving gears, one forright hand and one for left hand rotation, acting in parallel and drivenalternatively from said driving shaft, both turning during both saidrightand left-hand rotations.

9. A drive for a twisting head of the kind having a pair of rollersmounted for rotation about their axes and also as a unit together with ahousing about a common axis, comprising a shaft for rotating saidhousing, means to drive said shaft at different speeds, a second shaftfor rotating said rollers, mechanism for rotating said second shaft atdifierent speeds, including a differential gear having a planet carrier,and means to drive said planet carrier at different speeds, saiddifferential gear being connected to said shaft which rotates thehousing.

10. A drive as claimed in claim 9 in which said differential gear has aninput shaft which is integral with said shaft for rotating the housing.

11. A drive as claimed in claim 10 in which said differential gear hasan input sun wheel fixed to said input shaft, and an output sun wheeloperatively connected to said second shaft and mounted for rotationabout the axis of said shaft for rotating the housing.

12. A drive according to claim 9 in which the differential gear isformed of spur gears including, as an output member, an internallytoothed gear and in which said second shaft is operatively connected tosaid internally toothed gear by a pinion meshing with it.

13. A drive for a twisting head of the kind having a pair of rollersmounted for rotation about their axes and also as a unit together with ahousing about a common axis, comprising a shaft for rotating saidhousing, means to drive said shaft at different speeds, a second shaftfor rotating said rollers, means to drive said second shaft at differentspeeds, and mechanism compensating for the differential effect withinthe twisting head, said mechanism comprising a common differential gearconnected to said two driving means and between the twisting head andthe means to drive the said two shafts at different speeds.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS519,491 Baker Mar. 8, 1894 708,458 Breeze Sept. 2, 1902 1,474,131Zachariadis Nov. 13, 1923 2,608,817 Reinicke Sept. 2, 1952 FOREIGNPATENTS 5,134 Great Britain of 1881 136,117 France Apr. 14, 1880

